The movie was vaguely Oliver Twist-y. I remember an old man who dies in it and I think when he does a pocket watch falls from his hand. He may have fed birds at some point too.
There was also some kind of “Big John/Jim” type character.
Man, 1980s HBO was weird.
might it have actually been an animated “Oliver Twist”?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0884142/
there was also one released in 1974.